Re: Latex/Tex / dpkg remark
Jonathan A. Buzzard writes:
> >Please don't put the fonts in /usr/local. Consider leaving a minimal
> >set of fonts in /usr/lib/texmf/fonts/pk (resp. tfm, resp. vf), and
> >create another directory (I call it `local', but that does not matter)
> >which is actually a link from a directory under /var. I don't think
>
> Not a cance. PK fonts are different on different printers, as there is
> absolutly no way of knowing what printer they are going to use, supplying
> pre-built fonts is pointless (and a waste of network badwidth).
> Metafont source,vf and tfm however go in /usr/lib/texmf. Reading the FSSTND
> draft, as I see it no TeX files sould have a place of perminant residance on
> /var (apart from newly generated pk files perhaps).
Then consider generating two minimal sets of fonts, one for
write-black, one for write-white. This will cover the vast majority
of the laser printers out there. Or, even better, provide a script
that will offer to generate a set of fonts with the appropriate
mode_defs. The advantage of sticking to the /usr/lib/texmf layout is
that TeX, MF, dvipsk, xdvik (and any other package that uses Karl
Berry's `kpathsea' routine will automatically find their input files).
Otherwise, you will have to mess with a number of environment
variables. This will, of course, create problems for TeX novices
(`Help! TeX is not loading any macros!').
>
> >On the other hand, one keeps on installing additional
> >fonts, neat macros, and so on.
>
> In which case they go in /usr/local, not /var.
See above. The way I see it, /usr/local should be left absolutely
untouched by any of the debian packages. Plus you will have to set a
bunch of environment variables, or a set of symlinks (in which case,
why not usr /var?).
I will also think some sort of /usr/opt layout for these big packages
is highly warranted, otherwise the /usr partition will just keep on
growing.
--
Sunando Sen
Dept. of Economics Email: sens@acf2.nyu.edu
New York University
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